Bay CountyAudubon Highlights for the 113th Annual Christmas Bird Count

Count Day: Saturday, December 15, 2012

45 participants comprising 13 teams and 2 feeder watchers (record high of 53)

Total number of species documented: 141(record high of 151)

Total number of individual birds documented: 17,808(record high of 27,000)

Team documenting the most species:

  • 1st place:92 species; West Lynn Haven Team (Area 2) consisting of Al Clare, Mike Finnigan, Rodney & Lydia Cassidy, and Donna & Dale Cronwell
  • 2nd place: 81 species; Team Tyndall (Area 6); Neil Lamb, Lydia Ambrose, and Pam Overmyer
  • 3rdplace: 69 species; TeamShellIsland (Area 7); Raya Pruner and Marvin Friel
  • 4thplace: 62 species; Team Deer Point (Area 12); Jim & Beth Miller and Wendy Jones

Team counting the most individuals:

  • 1st place: 3,803 birds; Team Marifarms (Area 11); Bradley & Amanda Smith, Emily Ellis, Chris Forman, and Wendi Greene
  • 2ndplace: 3,618 birds; Team Lynn Haven West (Area 2)
  • 3rd place: 2,211 birds; Team Tyndall (Area 6)
  • 4th place: 1,605 birds; TeamSt. AndrewsState Park (Area 8); Ron & Diane Houser, Bill McCandliss, and Russ Hofstead

Team seeing the most single sightings:

  • 1st place: TeamShellIsland (Area 7); 7 species: Northern Pintail, Northern Gannet, Least Bittern, Snowy Plover, Piping Plover, Red Knot, and Seaside Sparrow.
  • 2nd place: Team Tyndall (Area 6); 6 species: Common Teal, Wild Turkey, Merlin, Least Sandpiper, Pileated Woodpecker, and Painted Bunting.

Other single sightings:

  • Team Lynn Haven West (Area 2): 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet and one Field Sparrow
  • Team Panama City East (Area 1): Fred & Gail Casteel, John Donlon, and Joyce Howard; 8 Black Skimmers
  • Team Panama City West (Area 5): Candis Harbison, Ruby Jo Faust, Janice Lucas, and Louisa Taylor; 3 Common Goldeneyes and 1 Red-headed Woodpecker
  • Team PCB (Area 9): Tony Menart, John & Marsha Benton, and Bill McCandliss; 6 Cattle Egrets
  • Team Marifarms (Area 11):4 Sandhill Cranes and 1 Western Sandpiper
  • Team Breakfast Point (Area 10): Jim Moyers, Chris Bettendorf, and Rick West; 3 Eastern Screech Owls
  • Team Deerpoint (Area 12): 120 White Pelicans and 1 Boat-tailed Grackle

Rare species (recorded in 25% or fewer of our CBCs) requiring documentation:

Least Bittern, Sandhill Crane, Painted Bunting, Boat-tailed Grackle, Dicksissel (count week), and Rufous Hummingbird (count week).

Congratulations to all participants for a job well done!